I am currently getting to race weight, which is going fine. For short runs in the morning I will go n an empty stomach and that works fine. But for long runs i have found I need energy before and during.

The problem I am finding is getting something in that digests quickly. Last week I ate an energy bar 20 mins before and took some gels. I crashed at 7km. I rested for about 5 mins, took a gel and felt better. I don't think the bar had digested.

Tomorrow I have 21km planned. I need to be home by 7 to get the kids ready so I will have to leave the house at 5. I am not getting up at 4 to have breakfast. What is the best thing to have? I am thinking an energy drink? On an empty stomach that should be digested almost straight away? Then take some gels with me?

Wouldn't you be better off running shorter, say 15km, going slower, but not taking any gels so that you can train your body to use fat reserves and glycogen stored in your liver, rather than relying on gels to fuel your exercise.

If I am doing a Triathlon, Half Marathon or Marathon, I take a gel every 30 mins, however, if I am training, I don't take any nutrition on a 21k run

I regularly train up to 2 hours pre breakfast with nothing before apart from a black coffee. f I am doing long or hard stuff I'll make sure I eat a good meal the night before and maybe a snack just before bed. But I find it gets me round.
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When I was doing my long runs (16-20 miles) before Outlaw, I would have a body-builders liquid meal when I got up (MP Hurricane Extreme) and would take a bottle of water to stash for the loops whilst running.

Last Sunday, I had a cup of tea & spoon of Coconut oil before I went for a 70km ride @7.30, then ate nothing until about 1.30pm. You just start steady and ride at the appropriate intensity.

If I'm exercising up to an hour - just a cup of tea & some water. I don't do hard sessions first thing i.e. turbo trainer intervals; tried it, and I was baggage. Swim intervals first thing, not quite so bad.

Sounds to me like the OP is relying too much on sugar-heavy sports nutrition pre exercise.
_________________27 Years since it all began....

When I was doing my long runs (16-20 miles) before Outlaw, I would have a body-builders liquid meal when I got up (MP Hurricane Extreme) and would take a bottle of water to stash for the loops whilst running.

Last Sunday, I had a cup of tea & spoon of Coconut oil before I went for a 70km ride @7.30, then ate nothing until about 1.30pm. You just start steady and ride at the appropriate intensity.

If I'm exercising up to an hour - just a cup of tea & some water. I don't do hard sessions first thing i.e. turbo trainer intervals; tried it, and I was baggage. Swim intervals first thing, not quite so bad.

Sounds to me like the OP is relying too much on sugar-heavy sports nutrition pre exercise.

This.

As someone who HATES eating quickly after getting up I have experimented a lot with this. My results for what works (for me)

- 'steady pace' run up to two hours I can do on a black coffee, also low tempo intervals up to 90mins
- longer steady bike ride. oats/banana/yogurt but blended in a nutribullet can ride straight away
- swimming - can't eat before. - is a bit of a problem...:
- swimming up to about 3km - black coffee - no problem even for intervals
- swimming more than 3.5km - problem. can do as one offs. Or at lower intensity. So longer interval sets are out of the question

Anything just under, at or above threshold running or bike, don't even think about it, it just doesn't work.

I could probably manage 3h+ at the right intensity on the bike first thing, with just that dollop of coconut oil and water on the bike. Tbh, as long as you take the first 30 min or so easy, you're not going to bonk if you ride Z2 with some Z3 for 2-3 hours in the morning.

Try it, you'll be surprised _________________27 Years since it all began....

I could probably manage 3h+ at the right intensity on the bike first thing, with just that dollop of coconut oil and water on the bike. Tbh, as long as you take the first 30 min or so easy, you're not going to bonk if you ride Z2 with some Z3 for 2-3 hours in the morning.

Try it, you'll be surprised

Coconut oil in coffee. Do you scoop a bit out and just dunk it in the coffee, leaving it to melt?

I could probably manage 3h+ at the right intensity on the bike first thing, with just that dollop of coconut oil and water on the bike. Tbh, as long as you take the first 30 min or so easy, you're not going to bonk if you ride Z2 with some Z3 for 2-3 hours in the morning.

Try it, you'll be surprised

Coconut oil in coffee. Do you scoop a bit out and just dunk it in the coffee, leaving it to melt?

No, I just man-up and eat it off the spoon _________________27 Years since it all began....

I could probably manage 3h+ at the right intensity on the bike first thing, with just that dollop of coconut oil and water on the bike. Tbh, as long as you take the first 30 min or so easy, you're not going to bonk if you ride Z2 with some Z3 for 2-3 hours in the morning.

Try it, you'll be surprised

Coconut oil in coffee. Do you scoop a bit out and just dunk it in the coffee, leaving it to melt?

No, I just man-up and eat it off the spoon

Yuk! Not a nice thought!

If you do stick it on your coffee, do you have to stick it in a blender to mix?

^^ I have never stuck Cocnut Oil in hot drinks. I always drink Tea first thing, so I neck the oil and then wash it down with Tea. What doesn't kill you.
_________________27 Years since it all began....